• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the western countries with advanced medical technology failed to contain coronavirus. This fact triggered our research question of what factors influence the clinical outcomes like infection rates and case mortality rates. This study aims to identify the determinants of COVID-19 related infection rates and case mortality rates. We considered three sets of independent variables: 1) socio-demographic characteristics; 2) cultural characteristics; 3) healthcare system characteristics. For the analysis, we created an international dataset from diverse sources like World Bank, Worldometers, Hofstede Insight, GHS index etc. The COVID-19 related statistics were retrieved from Aug. 1. Total cases are from 95 countries. We used hierarchical regression method to examine the linear relationship among variables. We found that obesity, uncertainty avoidance, hospital beds per 1,000 made a significant influence on the standardized COVID-19 infection rates. The countries with higher BMI score or higher uncertainty avoidance showed higher infection rates. The standardized COVID-19 infection rates were inversely related to hospital beds per 1,000. In the analysis on the standardized COVID-19 case mortality rates, we found that two cultural characteristics(e.g., individualism, uncertainty avoidance) showed statistically significant influence on the case mortality rates. The healthcare system characteristics did not show any statistically significant relationship with the case mortality rates. The cultural characteristics turn out to be significant factors influencing the clinical outcomes during COVID-19 pandemic. The results imply that the persuasive communication is important to trigger the public commitment to follow preventive measures. The strategy to keep the hospital surge capacity needs to be developed.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.73-80
• /
• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) imaging and histopathological characteristics of osteoradionecrosis(ORN) and medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw(MRONJ). Materials and Methods: Ten surgical specimens from segmental mandibulectomy (3 ORN and 7 MRONJ) were analyzed using CBCT. The CBCT parameters were as follows: high-resolution mode (tube voltage, 90.0 kV; tube current, 4.00 mA; rotation time, 16.8 s; field of view, 56 mm×56 mm; thickness, 0.099 mm). Histopathological characteristics were evaluated using histological slides of the surgical specimens. The Pearson chi-square test was used to compare ORN and MRONJ in terms of CBCT findings(internal texture, sequestrum, periosteal reaction and cortical perforation) and histopathological characteristics(necrotic bone, inflammatory cells, reactive bone formation, bacteria, Actinomyces, and osteoclasts). A P value less than 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Results: MRONJ showed periosteal reaction on CBCT more frequently than ORN (7 of 7 [100%] vs. 0 of 3 [0%], P<0.05). Regarding histopathological characteristics, MRONJ showed osteoclasts more frequently than ORN (6 of 7 [85.7%] vs. 0 of 3 [0%], P<0.05). Conclusion: This study evaluated the CBCT imaging and histopathological characteristics of ORN and MRONJ, and the findings suggest that CBCT could be useful for the evaluation of ORN and MRONJ.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.374-382
• /
• 2006

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of the characteristics of dietitians, the characteristics of school food services, equipment ratio of HACCP facility/equipment and perception of barriers to HACCP implementation on external and internal audit of food safety/sanitation management performance in school food service. An e-mail survey was conducted with 144 dietitians in Gyeongbuk Province. A response rate was 57.6% (N = 83) and data was analyzed using SPSS windows (ver. 12.0). Dietitian perceived facilities/equipment-related and stakeholder-related as the big barriers in implementing a HACCP system. Total scores of sanitation/safety management performance for external and internal audit were similar at 92 and 91 out of 100, respectively. 'Facilities/equipment' and 'HACCP system' categories in both external and internal audit were rated the lowest. As dietitian perceived facilities/equipment-related (p < 0.001) and stakeholder-related (p < 0.05) barriers to HACCP implementation were greater, the scores of the external and internal audits were significantly lower. As dietitian perceived barriers for all categories were greater, the scores of internal audits were significantly lower (p <0.05). As a result of multiple regression analyses, the scores of the external audit was positively associated with career as a school food service dietitian, but was negatively associated with barriers related to facility/equipment, while the scores of the internal audit was negatively associated with barriers related to facility/equipment and employees. This study suggests that supporting programs on securing the facilities/equipment and employee training are needed for successful HACCP implementation in school food service.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.113-124
• /
• 2010

This study analyzed the relationships between home environment, child characteristics and school readiness. In particular, it examined the influence of home environment and child characteristics upon children's school readiness with a focus on attitudes towards and other socio-emotional aspects. 57 children's characteristics, including such items as IQ performance and demographic variables were obtained by means of both individual testing of the child and through a questionnaire given to their parents. Relative levels of school readiness were then rated by teachers. Pearson correlations, and a multiple regression analysis were carried out using the SPSS Win 12.0 program. Our results indicated that (1) school readiness was positively related with mother's job, HOME, the ages of the children, Performance IQ, and Total IQ. (2) The level of the other's education, her job and the child's age was found to significantly predict the level of school readiness.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 2000

Parental satisfaction is the foundation of a happy family. It is a key factor in overall life satisfaction and also a critical variable in the development of children, and thus an education program aimed at parental satisfaction improvement is needed. This study attempts to determine basic elements of parental satisfaction that could enable better parental education programs. To accomplish this, mother's parental satisfaction and factors related to it were examined. The subjects were 641 mothers of primary school and middle school students aged 10, 12, and 14 residing in Seoul, Pohang and Kwangyang. Structured self-administered questionnaires were used to ascertain mothers' parental role satisfaction, mothers' role values, children related variables, mother related variables, father related variables, and home environment variables. The findings indicate that the variables related to parental satisfaction are multi-dimensional, that mothers' parental satisfaction can be improved by other family member's effort, and that a family's external characteristics are less important than its internal characteristics. These results imply that it is essential to include the characteristics of the family system when designing parental education programs. Furthermore, the role of specific family members, namely the husband, should be expanded in more supportive ways in Korean families to improve mothers parental satisfaction.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.119-131
• /
• 2004

This study was the research of health promoting behavior of the 6th grade students of elementary school and general characteristics, health related characteristics and health promoting behavior following the health education were analysed. The performance of health promoting behavior related to the prevention of infectious diseases showed the highest score above all. The school, which received health education by the scheduled education course, home correspondence, and health broadcasting education, showed higher health promoting behavior performance after the health education. On the basis of the results of this study, health promotion program development is required to accomplish health promoting behavior among the elementary school students.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.61-66
• /
• 2019

Background: Emergency workers such as firefighters are cataloged within the most demanding and injurious professions globally. Considering the health and safety implications in firefighting, a lot of research needs to be conducted to examine how firefighters' task characteristics and their work demand influence the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). This study therefore examines how the task characteristics of firefighters moderates the relationship between their work demand and the development of WMSDs. Methods: Convenient sampling was employed to select 320 firefighters in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression. Results: The findings revealed that work demand and task characteristics have significant positive effects on WMSDs. Again, the task characteristics of firefighters moderates the relationship between their work demand and WMSDs. Conclusion: Since the study shows that task characteristics influences the relationship between work demand and WMSDs, it is vital for managers to constantly modify the nature of tasks performed by and work demand of emergency workers to minimize the development of WMSDs and other industrial health complications.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.136-144
• /
• 2011

Assessment of quality of life (QOL) is a new method to investigate the effectiveness of dietary regimen. Particularly, diet-related QOL is the most appropriate method to estimate social and psychological problems originated from dietary regimen practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diet-related QOL and the correlation between diet-related QOL and health-related QOL, and dietary regimen practice in online diabetes self-help patients who practice the dietary regimen. Sixty one subjects who intended to practice dietary regimen were recruited from online diabetes self-help community, and instructed to fill-up the self report questionnaires. Contents of questionnaire were comprised of general characteristics, clinical characteristics, dietary compliance, and dietary regimen practice. As a result, the mean score of the 'Dietary impact' among the diet-related QOL sub-scales was the lowest suggesting most of the subjects suffer from burden of dietary regimen practice. The "Dietary impact" was correlated with "Taste", "Convenience" and "Cost" (p < 0.05). "Self-care" and "Satisfaction" were positively associated with well-controlled blood glucose and dietary regimen compliance, but negatively associated with "Dietary impact". Diet-related QOL was significantly correlated with the Health-related QOL, particularly the mental and social component (p < 0.05). Diet-related QOL was negatively associated with BMI, and self monitoring blood glucose was negatively correlated with "Self-care" (p < 0.05). In conclusion, Diet-related QOL might be appropriate to evaluate the effects of dietary regimen or nutrition education. The need for dietary education of cognitive-behavioral strategies and problem-solving ability is required.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.743-752
• /
• 2020

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate the distribution and level of periodontopathic bacteria with the general characteristics and oral health condition of the elderly. Methods: A total of 335 elderly individuals aged 65 years or older who lived in Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, were included in the study. Oral examination, investigation through a questionnaire, and collection of saliva were carried out. The collected saliva was analyzed for the distribution and levels of bacteria (red and orange complex bacteria) by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Statistical analyses were performed using chi-square test, t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson's correlation coefficient with SAS statistical software version 9.4. Results: Among the general characteristics, there were significant differences in the distribution of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and Parvimonas micra depending on sex, age, and dental visits (p<0.05). The number of remaining teeth and denture use were related to the distribution of periodontopathic bacteria, except T. denticola (p<0.05). Additionally, periodontitis was related to the distribution of P. gingivalis (p<0.05). As the number of remaining teeth increased, the copy number of red and orange complex bacteria also increased (p<0.05). Those individuals who did not use dentures and had periodontal disease had more periodontopathic bacteria (p<0.05). Conclusions: The distribution and copy number of periodontopathic bacteria in the elderly were more related to oral health condition than to general characteristics. In particular, the distribution and copy number of periodontopathic bacteria were higher in subjects with multiple remaining teeth, no dentures, and periodontal disease.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.79-88
• /
• 2006

Purpose : To identify general characteristics of school personnel with recent fatigue which was the most frequent symptom among subjective symptoms and to explore fatigue-related factors by evaluating physical and perceived health status, life style, and symptoms through data mining techniques. Methods : We collected a data of the 1,147(male 545, female 602) who were elementary, middle, or high school personnel, answered a questionnaire, and received physical examination in Seoul School Health Center from September to November in 2000. And we investigated the differences between fatigue group and non-fatigue group for demographic characteristics, physical health status, perceived health status, symptoms, and laboratory values by frequency, chi-square test, t-test, or simple logistic regression analysis by SAS package 8.1, and then selected significant variables as input variables of a decision tree analysis of CART model by SAS E-miner. Results : In general characteristics, the fatigue consisted of 41.1%(male 35.2%, female 46.4%) among 1,147 school personnel. In classical statistics, factors related with fatigue were female, lower means of systolic and diastolic pressure, young age, personnel in middle school, irregular eating habit, no exercise a week or less than 30minutes exercise a day, perception of unhealthy status, and subjective symptoms including short of breath at exercise. In simple logistic regression to examine the relationship between selected independent variables and fatigue as a dependent variable, the odds ratio of gender (female vs male) was 1.58 times, and young age ( 20s vs 60s) 20.67 times, and middle vs high school personnel 1.86 times. However, we mined combined several characteristics by SAS-E miner. In CART model, if health perception was healthy, and age was >= 37.5 years, the proportion of the fatigue was only 19.3%. but if health perception was not healthy and symptom was severe 'short of breath' during exercise and age was < 53.5 years, and BMI was >= 22.69, the proportion of the fatigue was up to 84.8%. Conclusions : The fatigue consisted of 41.1%(male 35.2%, female 46.4%). In classical statistics, fatigue-related factors among school personnel were young age, female gender, perceived unhealthy status, subjective physical symptoms, poor life-style, and lower blood pressure rather than only physical health status. However, in data mining, if health perception was healthy and age was >= 37.5 years, the proportion of the fatigue was only 19.3%. but if health perception was not healthy and symptom was severe 'short of breath' during exercise and age was < 53.5 years, and BMI was >= 22.69, the proportion of the fatigue was up to 84.8%.